Writing is a daily part of learning in my classroom.
After researching and working under the guidance of my administrator*, I was able to build and intentionally incorporate more writing into my content area classroom. One goal as I incorporated more writing into my classroom was the ensure that students were writing in multiple formats. In doing so, I learned about different types of writing and how they could influence learning in any classroom. It is natural to teach writing within science in multiple forms.
Writing to Learn: This format of writing was the first format introduced on a daily basis within my classroom. As students learned new information or organized they ideas they can use various written formats, often informal to share their findings. In my classroom students used their science notebooks to take notes, create web diagrams, create charts to organize new information, and created diagrams. I also focused with students as they underlined and annotated readings and articles in class. Students should be active readers as they write to learn. Writing during the learning process in any classroom is essential. Beers and Probst’s Reading Nonfiction: Notice and Note, Stances Signposts and Strategies was instrumental in assisting me to develop mini-lessons that included writing to learn in my classroom.
Writing to Demonstrate Learning: This form of writing is often seen in many content area classrooms currently. Students are using writing to show they they can explain information related to their area of study. Short answer questions, Extended Responses and exit slips are methods which can assist students as they demonstrate the mastery and learning of content in a classroom. Using pre-writing strategies and constructive feedback, I see that students are able to apply their knowledge, explain their thinking, analyze information given to them, critique ideas and share their ideas more through this written form. Students can also explain their ideas, create diagrams, analyze a situation and show their knowledge.
Writing to Reflect: Reflection can be a challenge to some students who like to rush through their thought process but providing the scaffolding and time for students to reflect on their own writing and mastery of content, as well as write about their growth can impact growth. I have worked with students on their reflective process over the last year. Students can reflect about content mastery or growth as a writer. Providing a clear vision and modeling the reflective process for students can assist them. Reflections are also not always graded so that it can allow a student the opportunity to think, write their ideas and reflect without judgement as they develop themselves as a writer.
Writing to Publish: There is a mentality that only Language Arts teachers would publish written work for students but it can be done in all content areas. As I have experimented with this type of writing in my classroom this year I found that my students were able to incorporate narratives, short stories, poetry, letters, comics and explanatory pieces as they informed their audience about the content we were learning. Students participated in pre-writing, worked on rough drafts and revised their work. These writing pieces that could be publishable were an excellent way to share their learning with me as their teacher. When working on a publishable piece you can also get to know the student as a writer, not just in content area learning. Scientists, Mathematicians and Social Scientists can write too! Writing in this content area is here to stay!
Goals: I have now incorporated writing to publish, writing to demonstrate learning, writing to learn and writing to reflect into my content area classroom. My next challenge is to increase the amount of writing that occurs in my classroom in all four areas and build upon the current success of my students as writers. I believe that if my vertical PLC incorporates all four types of writing into their classrooms that the students will only continue to become even better writers in the future.
*Thank you to my administrator, Dr. Dewey Hensley for his instrumental guidance through this learning process.
Writing to Learn: This format of writing was the first format introduced on a daily basis within my classroom. As students learned new information or organized they ideas they can use various written formats, often informal to share their findings. In my classroom students used their science notebooks to take notes, create web diagrams, create charts to organize new information, and created diagrams. I also focused with students as they underlined and annotated readings and articles in class. Students should be active readers as they write to learn. Writing during the learning process in any classroom is essential. Beers and Probst’s Reading Nonfiction: Notice and Note, Stances Signposts and Strategies was instrumental in assisting me to develop mini-lessons that included writing to learn in my classroom.
Writing to Demonstrate Learning: This form of writing is often seen in many content area classrooms currently. Students are using writing to show they they can explain information related to their area of study. Short answer questions, Extended Responses and exit slips are methods which can assist students as they demonstrate the mastery and learning of content in a classroom. Using pre-writing strategies and constructive feedback, I see that students are able to apply their knowledge, explain their thinking, analyze information given to them, critique ideas and share their ideas more through this written form. Students can also explain their ideas, create diagrams, analyze a situation and show their knowledge.
Writing to Reflect: Reflection can be a challenge to some students who like to rush through their thought process but providing the scaffolding and time for students to reflect on their own writing and mastery of content, as well as write about their growth can impact growth. I have worked with students on their reflective process over the last year. Students can reflect about content mastery or growth as a writer. Providing a clear vision and modeling the reflective process for students can assist them. Reflections are also not always graded so that it can allow a student the opportunity to think, write their ideas and reflect without judgement as they develop themselves as a writer.
Writing to Publish: There is a mentality that only Language Arts teachers would publish written work for students but it can be done in all content areas. As I have experimented with this type of writing in my classroom this year I found that my students were able to incorporate narratives, short stories, poetry, letters, comics and explanatory pieces as they informed their audience about the content we were learning. Students participated in pre-writing, worked on rough drafts and revised their work. These writing pieces that could be publishable were an excellent way to share their learning with me as their teacher. When working on a publishable piece you can also get to know the student as a writer, not just in content area learning. Scientists, Mathematicians and Social Scientists can write too! Writing in this content area is here to stay!
Goals: I have now incorporated writing to publish, writing to demonstrate learning, writing to learn and writing to reflect into my content area classroom. My next challenge is to increase the amount of writing that occurs in my classroom in all four areas and build upon the current success of my students as writers. I believe that if my vertical PLC incorporates all four types of writing into their classrooms that the students will only continue to become even better writers in the future.
*Thank you to my administrator, Dr. Dewey Hensley for his instrumental guidance through this learning process.
Writing samples from various forms of writing in class.
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